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Original poster

Perfect maternity leave?

92 replies

FawnFrenchieMum · 28/01/2022 12:16

Posting here for traffic. Just did fun

If you were making the rules on Stat Maternity pay, what would be the best ideal package and why?

I think 12 months full pay for me. Any longer I’d be too out of touch with the work and company. Any less feels like I’m leaving them ‘too young.

I did go back to work after 6&9 months respectively with my too, basically due to pay (the package was increased between child one & two).

OP posts:
LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee · 28/01/2022 13:42

Well… I’d also like the 18y at full pay but realistically you can’t ask society to fund more than what is really needed (vs nice to have). My proposal would be:

  • specific rule for premature babies: only count from due date
  • specific rules for multiple births: allowance x 1.5 for twins, allowance x 2 for triplets
  • 4 weeks paternity leave at full pay
  • maternity leave: 4 months at full pay, then 75% until 6m, then 50% until the 1y mark.
Sceptre86 · 28/01/2022 13:42

My husband had 2 weeks paternity but added a weeks holiday when I had my 5 and 4 year old. For this pregnancy he had 8 weeks on full wages and that was a godsend as I had an infection and liver issues after our youngest was born.

dowhattyougotttado · 28/01/2022 13:50

I think the mother should get full pay for at least 6 months, then 6 months SMP (but more than the currently measly amount).

I think the other parent should get a month off full pay.

Parents of premature babies should be able to claim some kind of top up to bridge the gap between the actual date of birth and the due date then move onto 6 months full pay 6 months smp. Their official maternity and paternity leave shouldn't start until the due date. I know many parents who spent the first months of their leave off sat by an incubator.

pregnantncnc · 28/01/2022 13:52

If we are going for perfect, here's my take (at least for me), although it probably isn't reasonable:

  • First 6 weeks, both parents at home receiving full pay.
  • Next 2 years; shared parental leave receiving 80% of household income - so the factor of which parent earns more doesn't hold as much weight. Either parent 1 can take 12 months and then parent 2 can take 12 months, parent 1 can take 24 months while parent 2 takes 0 months, or some kind of hybrid to keep in touch with the workplace.
  • At 2 years old, state funded or heavily subsidised childcare kicks in
Butteryflakycrust83 · 28/01/2022 13:52

1 year full pay, 8 weeks full pay paternity.

FinallyGotAnIPhone · 28/01/2022 13:56

12 months full pay is all very well and good but who would fund this? My employer topped up SMP for 6 or 9 months I can’t quite remember, but it’s a huge global company. I imagine for many companies (what about really small businesses eg who might also need to find a replacement to cover someone on mat leave), this isn’t viable.

Rosebuud · 28/01/2022 13:59

I think what’s perfect for a new parent v what’s perfect for an employer are two very different things as well as what society can afford.

CorpusCallosum · 28/01/2022 14:02

I'd like to see the paternity leave allowance upped massively from 2 weeks to more like 6 months full pay. And 12 months full pay for maternity.

I think it would help reduce the gender pay gap as dads would be taking mini-career breaks too. They'd be around to support new mums which would be better for maternal mental health and physical recovery and for bonding between the family unit.

I LOVE the idea of extra leave specifically for child sickness and think this should be for up to 11yos!

grumpytoddler1 · 28/01/2022 14:03

The shared parental leave needs scrapping and replacing with something that's use it or lose it. At the moment mum has to give up her leave so that dad can use it, and it's stopping dads from using it. It is also the most stupid, complicated legislation that no one understands, not even HR departments.

I shared with my husband and I would really recommend it. We were both off at once, and it meant I wasn't isolated at home with a screaming baby, and also DH learnt how to do everything, so I wasn't the default parent. But most people can't do it like that with the system we have at the moment.

Moonbabysmum · 28/01/2022 14:12

12 months on full pay for each parent, but with a maximum of 6 months overlap.

Once the baby is 6m old, the leave can br taken (for either or both parents) to enable them to return to work p/t without a reduction in salary whilst a child is under school age.

So mum, for example could have the first 6m off, then return 2.5 days a week on full pay for another year. Dad could work 2.5 days a week for 2 years, or for less time but with a block fully off, or have 1 day off a week doing childcare, until the child is at school. Obviously the employer would need to agree a pattern

If both parents have the same, there'll hopefully be less discrimination against women in the workplace, it'll encourage more involvement from father's, and the ability to go back pt and use the entitlement over a longer period will be better for women's careers and normalise men working part time also.

SleepingStandingUp · 28/01/2022 14:15

10 months full pay + 4 months full pay to be used between parents (so can overlap, 6,4,6, or run one after the other. Option for single parents to take 14 months.
If your baby is kept in beyond 1 week you get the extra time added on the end (Inc adding in any rehospitalisations past 1 week in duration during the relevant mat/pat leave)

Miller2021 · 28/01/2022 14:17

SMP should be higher and available to all mums, including those on zero-hours and short-term contracts.

Personally I think 6 months full pay + 6 months SMP (as long as SMP was enough to live on) would be reasonable, it's paternity leave that really needs shaking up and would have a massive effect on the wellbeing of mums with partners. Fathers (or non-birthing partners) should get 6 months on full pay, use it or lose it, to be taken at any point in the first, say, two years. Obviously after this, childcare needs to be more affordable too.

As other PPs have pointed out, offering women huge swathes of time off does tend to discourage employers from taking them on in the first place (there is evidence of this happening in Sweden) - the solution is not to offer women less, but to offer men more.

All of this should be largely government-funded (particularly for small businesses). Although all governments are very fond of saying "there's no magic money tree" or words to that effect, they would have access to astonishing amounts of money if they had the balls to tax the rich.

SleepingStandingUp · 28/01/2022 14:18

Also if you have multiples, an extra 2 months for the first multiple and then 1 for all subsequent multiples (2 months for twins, 3 for triplets etc)

RealBecca · 28/01/2022 14:29

36 months paid shared parental to bridge the gap between birth and childcare credits.

Or lower childcare.

Ideally I'd like to see 12 months paid for mum and 12 months for dad, not transferable

Caspianberg · 28/01/2022 14:35

Where I live it’s full pay for 12 months, then another 2 years allowed of maternity but no pay ( ie your job will stay secure for that time to return any time). Or you can even out payments over the 3 years.

Gardengates · 28/01/2022 14:40

I did maternity for my third in Austria and their system is pretty good. 4 weeks before DD and 8 weeks after on full pay (12 weeks for csec)

Then you have a set amount. About £18k I think which you can either over 1, 2 or 3 years. The longer you take the less you receive per month but you can go back to work part time and use it to subsidise your salary so you could do a year at home and 2 years PT.

Part of it is transferable to the father but we didn't do that so not sure how it works.

9bviously £18k might not be enough if you the main bread winner on a high salary but it was perfect for me

Darbs76 · 28/01/2022 14:41

I thought mine was reasonable 6 months full pay and 3 months statutory

shouldistop · 28/01/2022 14:43

Full pay for 12 months, half pay for another 12 months and the current stat pay for another 12 months after that.

Blossomtoes · 28/01/2022 14:46

@shouldistop

Full pay for 12 months, half pay for another 12 months and the current stat pay for another 12 months after that.
😂
weliveinharmony · 28/01/2022 15:00

Am I missing something here do people want 3 years off work?? I couldn't wait to get back to work part-time and have a bit of my own life plus time with my DC as well.. I would say 6 months full pay and 3 months statutory!

user1471543094 · 28/01/2022 15:03

@grumpytoddler1

The shared parental leave needs scrapping and replacing with something that's use it or lose it. At the moment mum has to give up her leave so that dad can use it, and it's stopping dads from using it. It is also the most stupid, complicated legislation that no one understands, not even HR departments.

I shared with my husband and I would really recommend it. We were both off at once, and it meant I wasn't isolated at home with a screaming baby, and also DH learnt how to do everything, so I wasn't the default parent. But most people can't do it like that with the system we have at the moment.

I worked in a law firm and requested share leave and was denied. Was told it was too complicated - it was only just coming into force as they just didn't want to know.

Ironically, a partner in the firm was delivering a seminar on it. I mentioned it to her and she very quickly went to HR and corrected them. Had she not done that, I wouldn't have pushed it - as to be fair i was struggling to understand it myself.
We managed 6 weeks off together when baby was a few months old and it was the best thing that happened for me, him and baby. Definitely agree for it helping for mum not be default parent.

As for maternity - Ideal world 12 months full pay please!
I'd also love an option to keep a month to have off later in child's life, before school starting.

shouldistop · 28/01/2022 15:28

@Blossomtoes Grin I didn't say it was realistic. It just would be nice

Useranon1 · 28/01/2022 15:32

@grumpytoddler1

The shared parental leave needs scrapping and replacing with something that's use it or lose it. At the moment mum has to give up her leave so that dad can use it, and it's stopping dads from using it. It is also the most stupid, complicated legislation that no one understands, not even HR departments.

I shared with my husband and I would really recommend it. We were both off at once, and it meant I wasn't isolated at home with a screaming baby, and also DH learnt how to do everything, so I wasn't the default parent. But most people can't do it like that with the system we have at the moment.

It is being scrapped and replaced
Useranon1 · 28/01/2022 15:32

I'm curious why so many people would short-change their male partners with only weeks of paid leave?

JackieCollinshasnoauthority · 28/01/2022 15:38

Personally I think a year is way too long so 6/9 months for both parents would be my ideal. 6 months at full pay to be taken within the first year. I would also like to see paid parental leave up to 18 years in line with the current unpaid entitlement.

Genuinely can't believe people think women should have up to 3 years off and maybe 2 months for men. It's a free pass for men to disengage from parenting and family life. Completely regressive.